Molded pac type boot and process of constructing same



3 A. A. GLlDDEN ET AL. 1,399,754

MOLDED PAC TYPE BOOT AND PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING SAME Filed June 13, 1929 1771297713075. flLfrecL H. GZnLoLoLew. T homo M KnowLcJLd.

Patented Feb. 28, 1933 Unites srn'rns Parent erricn ALFRED A. GLIIDDEN AND THOMAS M. KNOW/LAND, OF WATEE-TOEVN, llEASSACHUSETT-S,

ASSIGNO'RS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO HOOD RUBBER COIVQPAIIY, INQ, OF WIL- IslIING-TON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE MOLDED PAC TYPE BOOT AND PROGESS OF GOTISTBUGTING SAME Application filed June 13,

This invention relates toan improved pac type rubber boot or shoe and to a process of constructing same.

Heretofore it has not been the practice, so far as applicants are aware, to mold the leg and gusset portions of a pac type rubber boot or shoe in one piece, for the reason that the pressure and heat employed in molding and vulcanizing the boot tended to force the gusset and leg portions of the boot together,

with the result that the boot was deformed and imperfect by reason of the fact that the gusset folds adhered to the leg portion at portions other than their extreme edges and the adjacent faces of the gusset folds adhered to each other.

The object of this invention is to provide a boot or shoe having a gusset in the leg portion thereof, said gusset and leg portions, together with the upper, sole and heel portions, all being molded together to form an integral construction. The object of this invention further is to provide a process whereby the said boot may be molded.

By constructing a boot in accordance with our improved process, it is possible to hold the gusset and leg portions spaced apart in such a manner during the molding and vulcanizing operation that after the operation has been completed, the gusset and leg portions may be separated from each other without injuring the surface of either of these parts.

A pac type boot constructed in accordance with our improved process has the advantage, in common with all molded footwear, of a smooth quarter and leg port-ion conforming to the design impart-ed thereto by the mold. This is very important since pac type boots as ordinarily constructed present a very rough and uneven surface due to the complicated quarter and pocket construction which is not completely press-ed out by the molding and vulcanizingdevices in common use. Furthermore, it. is highly important that the gusset shall be attached to the leg portion of the boot in such a manner as to be entirely waterproof and a boot constructed in accordance with our improved process has a decided advantage over the boots construct- 1929. Serial No. 870,593.

ed in accordance with present day methods.

The invention consists in a molded pac type boot or shoe and in the process of manufacturing the same as set forth in the fol lowing speciiication and particularly as pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 represents a perspective View of a boot embodying our invention.

Hig. 2 is a perspective view of a shield which is employed in constructing the boot. Big. 8 is a side elevation of another type of shield that is employed in the construction of the boot.

F 4 is a horizontal section through the leg and gusset portions of a pac type rubher boot of our invention illustrating the same in position within a mold with the shields positioned to space the gusset and leg portions apart. i

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

In the drawing, 5 represents a conventional form of pac type boot embodying therein a sole 6, heel 7, foot portion 8 and leg portion 9, the latter consisting of quarterjportions 10 which meet and are united at the back of the shoe, and a gusset 11 which is attached to the inner surfaces of the quarter portions 10 and thereby closes the front part of the boot. The gusset 11 is folded at 12 to form pockets 13 upon the exterior of the boot at the sides thereof, and said folds also cooperate with the leg portions 9 to form other pockets 1% upon the interior of the bootalso at the sides thereof, and when the boot is as sembled, a portion of the inner surface of the folds 12 is attached to the inner surface of the quarter portions 10 along marginal edge portions 15 of the leg portion 9.

After the various parts that enter into the construction of the boot have beenassembled, a shield 16 which is illustrated in Fig. 2, is positioned upon the front part of the boot. The shield 16" embodies therein side portions 17 which are adapted to be inserted within the pockets 13 in such a manner that the outer surface of each fold 12 will be spaced apart from the adjacent surface of i vulcanizing operation, and preferably said shield consists of several plies of frictioned sheeting that are so formed and united that the thickness of the shield decreases toward the edges of the side portions 17. Both the front and rear surfaces of the shield 16 are covered with light net fabric to still further prevent the shield from sticking to the mold and leg portion of the boot.

Another shield 19 illustrated in detail in Fig. 3 is inserted upon the interior of the boot within each pocket 14 between the adjacent surfaces of the folds 12 and inner surface of the leg portion 9, see Fig. l. The shields 19 are also constructed of several plies of frictioned sheeting that are all united to form an integral construction, and the entire outer surface of the shield is covered with light net fabric to prevent the shield from sticking to the surface of the boot with which it contacts. The thickness of the shields 19 decreases toward the marginal edge portions of said shields, see Fig. at.

.In constructing the boot of our invention, the various portions of the boot are all assembled upon an expandable boot tree 20, see Fig. 4, which is shaped to conform to thegeneral contour of a boot. The boot tree 20 is preferably constructed of rubber and has sufficient inherent strength to enable the 1 parts of the boot to be assembled thereon.

After the various parts that enter into the construction of the boot have all been assembled, the shield 16 is placed in position at the front of the gusset 11 with the opposite side portions 17 thereof projecting into the ockets 13 as illustrated in Fig. 4 and the shields 19 are inserted within the pockets ll between the adjacent surfaces of the folds 12 and leg portion of the boot also as illustrated in Fig. l, and the boot is then placed within a mold 21, the interior of which is provided with a cavity 22, the shape of which conforms to the shape of the completed boot. Pressure and heat are then applied to the interior of the boot tree 20 in a well known manner, and heat is also applied to the mold 21, and the boot tree 20 is then expanded in a manner to force the boot against the interior surfaceof the mold thereby simultaneously molding and vulcanizing the boot. During the molding and vulcanizing operation, the shields 16 and 19 prevent the adj acent surfaces of the gusset and leg portions of theboot from adhering to each other, and upon the completion of the molding andvulcanizing operation, the shields may be easily and quickly removed withoutmarring or injuring the surface of the boot. After the boot is removed from' the mold and the shields have been removed, eyelets 23 are inserted in a well known manner adjacent to the marginal edge portions 15.

A boot constructed in accordance with the process of this invention presents a neat appearance and as all of the various parts that comprisethe boot are molded together to form an integral construction, there is no danger of seepage or leakage at the front of the boot where the gusset 11 is united with the leg portion 9.

We claim:

1. A rubber boot comprising sole, heel upper, leg and gusset portions, the gusset portion being integrally molded and vulcanized to the leg portion to form an integral structure therewith, said structure being characterized by having a smooth continuous molded outer surface, the gusset portions having their opposing faces normally spaced apart and free from interlocking deformities.

2. A step in the process of constructing a rubber boot having a gusset in the leg portion thereof which consists in spacing the longitudinally and transversely curved folds of the gusset apart during the molding and vulcanizing operation, and smoothing said surfaces by confining mold pressure.

3. A step in the process of constructing a rubber boot having a gusset in the leg portoin thereof which consists in spacing adjacent longitudinally and transversely curved surfaces of the gusset and leg portions apart during the molding and vulcanizing operation, and smoothing said surfaces by confining mold pressure.

1. A step in the process of constructing a rubber boot having. a gusset in the leg portion thereof which consists in spacing the longitudinally and transversely curved folds of the gusset apart, and also spacing portions'of acent surfaces of said gusset and leg portions apart during the molding and vulcanizing operation, and smoothing said surfaces by confining mold pressure.

5 The steps in the process of constructing a rubber boot having a gussetin the leg porti on thereof which consist in inserting a longitudinally and transversely curved shield between the folds of the gusset, and thereby spacing the same apart during the molding and vulcanizing operation, then confining the boot in a mold and applying pressure to smooth the surfaces thereof.

6. The steps in'the process of constructing a rubber boot having a gusset in the leg portion thereof which consist in inserting longitudinally and transversely curved shields between the folds of the gusset and the leg portion of the boot and thereby spacing said folds and leg portion apart during the molding and vulcanizing operation, then confining the boot in a mold and applying pressure to smooth the surface thereof.

7. The steps in the process of constructing a rubber boot having a gusset in the leg portion thereof which consist in inserting a longitudinally and transversely curved shield between the folds of the gusset and also inserting other shields between said gusset folds and the leg portion of the boot and thereby spacing the folds and leg portions apart during the molding and vulcanizing operation, then confining the boot in a mold and applying pressure to smooth the surface thereof. 7

8. The process of constructing a rubber boot having a gusset in the leg portion thereof which consists in inserting a longitudinally and transversely curved shield between the, folds of the gusset and then molding and vulcanizing the boot with said shield located between said folds to smooth the surfaces thereof.

9. The process of constructing a rubber boot having a gusset in the leg portion thereof which consists in inserting a longitudinally and transversely curved shield between the folds of the gusset and also inserting other shields between adjacent surfaces of said gusset and leg portions and then molding and vulcanizing the boot with the gusset, folds spaced apart from each other and from the leg portion while confined between solid mold members.

10; The process of constructing a rubber boot which consists in assembling the sole, heel, upper, leg and gusset portions together, spacing the adjacent longitudinally and transversely curved surfaces of the gusset from each other and from the leg portion, and then molding and vulcanizing all of theparts together to form an integral structure while confining them between solid mold members.

11. An article of vulcanized rubber foot wear provided with a gusset portion adapted to allow expansion of the leg portion thereof, said gusset comprising a plurality of folding sections of vulcanized material integrally molded with substantial bights between them at the lines of fold said shoe being characterized by having a smooth continuous molded outer surface.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands. ALFRED A. GLIDDEN.

THOMAS M. KNOWLAND. 

